History of Science | Golden age of Islam
You cannot thank him enough for ChatGPT!
(A tribute to the Founder of Algorithm)
Let me tell you a story…
Story of a 9th century man hailing from the Middle East (of all places!!!), whom you may or may not have heard of, but you most likely know his name. If anything, we all are reaping rewards of his genius in countless ways in this modern times, millennia after his existence.
He is the man whose works made it possible for me to write this article on my laptop, post it on the internet for you to read and even helped create the device you are using to read it.
Because, all of these technological marvels of today’s digital world, even the latest talk of the town, the breakthrough Artificial Intelligence (AI) — ChatGPT, are all based on Algorithm, a term that traces its roots to his name.
In fact, he is the man who invented it and changed the course of history for computation, mathematics and practically the entire scientific advancement for all of humanity.
He is, Muḥammad ibn Mūsā al-Khwārizmī, a.k.a Al khwarizmi, a Polymath from the Golden Age of Islam.
Who is Al Khwarizmi?
Little is known about Al-Khwarizmi’s personal life. He was born in Khwarazm (from where he gets his name) at the end of 8th Century C.E., which is now in modern-day Uzbekistan, and it is believed that he spent most of his life working in the House of Wisdom in Baghdad, which was a major center of learning and scholarship during the Islamic Golden Age.
It is believed that Al-Khwarizmi was a student at the House of Wisdom and that he was trained in mathematics, astronomy, and other sciences by the scholars there.
The House of Wisdom was a major center of translation, where scholars translated Greek, Persian, and Indian texts into Arabic, and Al-Khwarizmi would have had access to a wide range of scientific and mathematical works, that he used meticulously to gift the world the very tool it needed to have an unprecedented advancement in the centuries to come.
What is Algorithm and how does it relate to him?
Put simply, an algorithm is basically a set of instructions or rules that are followed in a specific order to solve a problem or accomplish a task.
In terms of modern day computing, algorithms are at the heart of any sort of programming language that are used to perform tasks, starting from data collection, sorting, calculations to the creation of the most advanced and complex Artificial Intelligence.
Although, the concept of an algorithm has been around for centuries, with ancient Greek scholars and Persian mathematicians, the modern definition of an algorithm as a set of instructions for solving a specific problem or performing a specific task, is attributed to the work of Al-Khwarizmi.
Around 820 C.E., in his Arabic book “Al-jabr wa al-muqabala” which means “The Completion and Balancing” he introduced the basic arithmetic operations such as addition, subtraction, multiplication, and division using an algorithmic approach.
The term algebra itself also comes from the title of this book (from the word al-jabr meaning “completion” or “rejoining”) for which he is also considered the founder or father of Algebra and his name Al Khwarizmi, rendered as (Latin) Algoritmi, led to the term “algorithm”.
In this book, Al-Khwarizmi presented a systematic method for solving mathematical problems, which involved breaking down a problem into a series of steps that could be followed to find a solution.
This method is considered as the first recorded example of an algorithm, and it laid the foundation for further development of modern computer science and artificial intelligence.
Why are his works considered so groundbreaking?
Al-Khwarizmi’s methods were distinct from the works of ancient mathematics in several ways:
- Algebraic methods: Al-Khwarizmi’s work on algebra, particularly his book “Al-jabr wa al-muqabala” introduced a new way of thinking about mathematical problems, which involved reducing and balancing equations to find a solution. This approach, which is based on the manipulation of symbols rather than numbers, was a significant departure from the methods used by ancient mathematicians, who typically used geometric methods to solve mathematical problems.
• Decimal system: Al-Khwarizmi’s book “Al-Kitab al-mukhtasar fi hisab al-jabr wa al-muqabala” introduced the decimal number system to the Western world, which is a system of counting and representing numbers using the digits 0–9. This system was far more efficient than the Roman numeral system, which was widely used in Europe at the time, and allowed for faster and more accurate calculations.
• Algorithmic approach: Al-Khwarizmi’s work on algorithms and computation was a significant departure from the methods used by ancient mathematicians, who typically used geometric methods to solve mathematical problems. His algorithmic approach, in which a problem is broken down into a series of steps that can be followed to find a solution, is the basis of modern computer science and artificial intelligence.
• Trigonometry: Al-Khwarizmi also made significant contributions to the field of trigonometry, through his work on sine and cosine functions. His work on these functions are considered as more advanced than the works of the ancient mathematicians, who only knew the basic trigonometric ratios.
What else did he do?
He was a proven Polymath.
A polymath (from Greek polymathēs, literally meaning. ‘having learned much’) as the word suggests, is an individual of great knowledge and one who achieved significant accomplishments through that knowledge.
Apart from his aforementioned glorious achievements in giving the world its near magical abilities of problem solving, Al Kwarizmi had significant contributions in many branches of science and mathematics.
• Astronomy: Al-Khwarizmi wrote several treatises on astronomy, including one on the astrolabe, which was an important astronomical instrument of the time. He also wrote a treatise on the construction of sundials.
• Geography: Al-Khwarizmi wrote a book on geography called “Kitab surat al-ard” (Book of the Description of the Earth) which was a pioneering work on the subject and described the coordinates of the places he described.
• Islamic Calendar: Al-Khwarizmi also wrote a book on the Islamic Calendar, which describes the calculation of the dates of Islamic holidays.
Of all these seminal works, his contribution in founding the modern Algorithm has led the world to create wonders, far beyond our wildest imaginations.
Now more than ever, we should know about this man and his influence on the western scientific community and their subsequent marvelous achievements.
As in the words of Roy Casagranda, professor of government at Austin Community College, “that’s the part left from your History Books”
Thank you for reading!
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